


Learning Curve

by Kessya



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Gen, Humor, Light Angst, Military Academy AU - Freeform, Royai - Freeform, not exactly an AU- still in canon's world
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2019-02-13 04:54:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12976392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kessya/pseuds/Kessya
Summary: "Roy stared at the announcement board outside of the main lecture hall and re-read the list of incoming cadets.Riza Hawkeye.A familiar name, calling up many memories. A name he had never expected to see again, especially not here. Not after all her father had done."Roy and Riza meet each other again at military academy several years after Berthold Hawkeye’s death.





	Learning Curve

**Author's Note:**

> This fic started out as a question. What were Roy, Riza, and Hughes like in military academy? Because of course they had to have gone to one. So I decided to write one possibility and the following fic is the result. I tried to stay true to character with Roy, Riza, and Hughes but tweaked a few events from the canon’s plot to fit my story for convenience’s sake. I hope you like it! 
> 
> (As per usual: Fullmetal Alchemist and its characters don't belong to me)

Roy stared at the announcement board outside of the main lecture hall and re-read the list of incoming cadets.

_Riza Hawkeye._

A familiar name, calling up many memories. A name he had never expected to see again, especially not here. Not after all her father had done.

He ran a hand through his messy black hair and sighed. _Riza Hawkeye_. How would she have changed in two years? Would she still possess that charming innocent optimism? Would she approve of his new dream of becoming a State Alchemist and eventually Fuhrer? Would she even recognize him?

He dropped his hand, letting it hang loosely at his side for a minute before stuffing both hands in his pant pockets and walking down the hallway towards the exit. He had a weapons maintenance class in five minutes, followed by Shooting at 11:00, but he didn’t care. He needed to find Maes. If anyone would be able to fill in the blanks and hear him out without holding what he said against him, it was Maes Hughes. And he was usually found skulking around town chatting up various people, not in class.

Roy smirked as he thought about the professors lecturing Hughes only to have their lessons thrust back in their faces. _How are we supposed to learn if we never practice_? Hughes would ask innocently and the professors would grumble, say he wasn’t entirely wrong, and look the other way as long as he attended three out of five classes a week and write up reports with his findings.

Roy envied Maes sometimes, but then he would think about all of the reports Hughes had to write up. There was no way he’d go into the Investigations Division, if only to avoid the paperwork.

Shaking his head, Roy walked out of the archway of the Military Academy’s main entrance and onto Central’s main street to find Hughes. Signs for the many shops scattered along the street caught Roy’s attention with their big, bolded lettering. As he scanned the street for his friend ( _who honestly might be anywhere_ , Roy thought), Roy’s eyes caught a flash of goldenrod colored hair. _Where had he seen…? Riza._ Roy looked over his shoulder towards the archway he had just passed through to see if he could catch sight of her, but there were too many people to see clearly, what with classes switching and orientation tours. The only hair matching the color he had seen swept down the owner’s back, ending above their waistline. The last time Roy had seen Riza, she had had short hair, only coming a little past her ears, cut close to her head. It wouldn’t have grown out to her lower back in two years. There was no way.

Roy slowly turned back around and focused his attention on the city that lay ahead of him.

_Now, if I were Maes, where would I be?_ he mused, stepping into the street.

* * * * *

“Riza Hawkeye,” called out the class rep as she took roll.

Riza stood to attention and replied, “Here!”

“At ease,” came the response and Riza relaxed her stance, making sure to keep her weight evenly balanced.

While the rep continued to call roll, Riza let her thoughts drift to the past. Her father warning Roy Mustang he would stop teaching him flame alchemy if he was determined to become a “dog of the military”. Roy shrugging lazily, his disappointment belied only by his eyes. Then three months later, her father inscribing his greatest achievement, his perfected alchemy, what had become her nightmare, onto her back, then dying two days later. She hadn’t cried. Not at the funeral leastways. Maybe once or twice she let herself cry for the man he had been in her childhood on those long nights when the wind and rain called out to her, waking her from sleep. Roy had been there, at her father’s funeral, had helped her pay for it, had told her his hopes for the future. And he had rekindled her hope in humanity.

That hope had led her to the Academy. After her father’s funeral Riza had spent weeks pouring over all the books she found in her father’s study, but it wasn’t enough. She still thirsted for knowledge; knowledge she would need if she wanted to make an impact on society and institute reforms. To do that she quickly realized she needed access to Central’s Library, access only State Alchemists and top ranked Military Academy cadets were granted.

A pause in the roll drew Riza’s wandering attention and she mentally berated herself for drifting during class. The class rep frowned and called out the name again.

“Roy Mustang?”

Riza’s pulse quickened. Roy was still in the Academy? By now he should have finished his schooling, gone into the Military, and be in pursuit of his dream to change the world. _Why is he still here?_

Once again, the rep’s call met with silence. She frowned but finished calling roll as their professor walked through the door, right on time. She informed the professor that Mustang was missing and Riza noticed the lack of surprise on their professor’s face, only a flicker of annoyance. “Thank you,” the professor said to the rep and then turned to face the class.

“Today we are having a practical exam to see what all you new recruits know about weapons maintenance. When I call your name please step forward and take your place in front of the table here,” he pointed to a dark mahogany table with a rifle, a handgun, and a knife on its surface. “You will dissemble the guns and reassemble them as fast as you can. Then you will identify the proper way to hold a knife as well as what the best way to clean one is, giving your reasons why. Any questions?”

The older cadets looked bored Riza noted, while the rest of the class was showing mixed reactions of confidence, anxiety, and excitement. Riza herself felt curiosity, tinged with nervousness. She took a deep breath to calm her mind and released it slowly. She could do this.

Cadet by cadet stepped forward and finally it was Riza’s turn. She walked with deliberate steps to the front of the room. The professor looked at the class rep who was holding a stopwatch and after she had nodded that everything was ready, he turned his attention back to Riza, meeting her gaze with his steely gray eyes. _They look like ice_ , was all she had time to think before he said, “Begin.”

Riza’s years of study and her father’s harsh reprimand every time she failed to be quick enough with an answer to an alchemical equation kicked in. She immediately began disassembling the handgun, placing the pieces down in an organized, almost chart-like, way, only to snatch them back up half a minute later, reassembling the gun. She approached the rifle in the same way and it only took her a minute and a half to present an argument for using wax over oil as a protective coating on the knife’s blade once it was clean, differing from the previous cadets who had opted for oil.

When she finished explaining her point, the professor raised an eyebrow, ‘hmmed’, and gave her a calculating look, but said nothing.

The next cadet was called and then the next and the next, until the whole class had come forward to be tested. When the last cadet finished their exam the class was dismissed. Riza started to walk towards the shooting range for her next class when her professor’s voice called out, “Cadet Hawkeye. Might I have a word with you?”

A chill ran up her spine but Riza turned and walked back to the doorway of their classroom. “Yes, sir?” she asked.

“I have a few books I’d like to recommend you read, Cadet.” Handing her a slip of paper, his lips turned up at the corners in a small smile, the first of many such smiles to grace his face this semester. “You’ll find them in the Library.”

“Thank you, sir,” she said, a little surprised and still on guard, waiting for the inevitable reprimand.

“That’s all, Cadet Hawkeye. You are dismissed. I don’t want you to miss your next class after all. Shooting, isn’t it?”

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir,” Riza replied before leaving to go to her class again.

_What was that about?_

* * * * *

When Roy finally found Hughes, he found him in a café chatting with two women at a table near the windows. It was a European styled café, with white, laced, half curtains and dark mahogany floors and tables. Charming but not a place Roy would ever come to willingly. He preferred the bars on the other end of the street that had darker lighting and were easier to go unseen in. Unless it was the coffee shop two blocks down with those very pretty waitresses that liked to flirt with their customers. That was an institution he would willingly walk into and spend hours in.

As Roy approached Maes, the two women slid off to a different table, on the opposite side of the café, still whispering amongst themselves.

“Come on, Roy,” complained Hughes. “Do you always have to scare off the women?”

Roy sat down at Maes’s table, leaned back into his chair, draped his arm around the back of it, and glanced over at the two women again. When they saw him looking their way they blushed and started to giggle. Roy shot them a seductive smile and then turned back to Hughes, smirking.

“Scare off the women? Why Hughes, don’t you know me better than that?”

Hughes rolled his eyes at his best friend. “Yeah, yeah, I know. It’s not your fault that you were born this handsome.” He leaned in closer to Roy, a serious expression on his face. “You know, Roy, one day you’ll regret all your womanizing. You’ll find someone who you actually like and want to impress and then she’ll turn you down cold.”

Roy thought of Riza for a second then smiled lazily at Hughes, acting unaffected. “No woman can resist me, Hughes.”

Maes sighed and leaned back in his chair. “You’ll see one day.” He took a sip of coffee, then asked, “So what’s up? Why are you here?”

Roy picked up a menu and waved the waiter over. “One large cup of coffee, please.”

Hughes raised his eyebrows. This was serious then.

When the waiter delivered the coffee and walked away out of earshot, Roy began. “Hughes, you have to promise not to laugh at me.”

“Okay…”

“Riza Hawkeye’s name was on the list of incoming cadets.”

Hughes immediately understood. “You want me to find out why she’s here?”

Roy smirked. “Fast on the uptake as always, Hughes. Find out why and her class schedule.”

Hughes smiled. “Sure. Want me to find out whether or not she’s still single too?”

Roy scowled. “Hughes…”

Maes laughed and leaned back in his chair. “Just an offer, Mustang. I know you fancied her when you were studying alchemy under her father.”

“Fancied? I fancy all women equally, Hughes. That’s why I keep pushing for the Academy’s administration to change the women cadet’s uniform to include mini-skirts. Why hide their femininity? It could be their best weapon.”

Hughes shook his head at his friend’s daydream. “It’ll never get instituted, Mustang. Give it up.”

Roy shook his head adamantly. “I’ll become Fuhrer then and make it a rule.”

Maes laughed. “Mustang, you are one of the boldest men I have ever met. All the more power to you.” He checked his watch and grabbed his wallet, grinning. “It’s almost 12:00, Mustang.”

“So?”

Hughes put the money for his coffee down on the table, stood up, and grabbed his coat. “I’m meeting Gracia at 12:00. She’s agreed to go on another date with me!” He took out a picture from his wallet of the woman and thrust it in Roy’s face enthusiastically. “Isn’t she beautiful? She’s the best! Always so loving and kind and…”

Mustang cut him off, scowling. If he didn’t, Roy would miss class and be kept in the coffee shop all day, listening to Gracia’s numerous virtues. “Enough, Hughes. I know what she looks like. You’ve shown me that picture a million times by now. Go enjoy your date. I have to get back to class anyways.”

Maes continued to croon over the picture, ignoring Roy. “Her eyes, Roy. Her eyes! Have you ever seen anyone with eyes as beautiful as Gracia? And the way she smiles, Roy. It lights up her whole face. And…”

Roy’s patience was running out. He clenched his fists to stop himself from drawing a diagram. “Maes…” he warned.

Hughes looked at him and held the picture to his chest, protectively. “You can’t have her, Mustang. Even if you’ve never seen anyone as perfect as her. I won’t let you. She’s too good for you.”

A forced smile was on Roy’s face. “Hughes. Shut up and get to your date.” _If you don’t I’m likely to fry you._

Maes put his wallet back in his pocket and frowned. “Spoilsport. See if I do research for you anymore.”

Mustang sighed. “But what would you do for fun if I didn’t give you research projects?” Then he grinned. “And hey, I just don’t want you to miss your date.”

Hughes beamed at him, thinking of Gracia. “Ah, Gracia,” he murmured, then snapping back to business mode, he said, “I’ll look up Hawkeye’s details for you. But you’re going to have to give me a few days. I have three projects due for Investigations at the end of the week.”

Roy nodded. “Whenever you can get it to me, that’d be great.”

The two friends had walked to the door by now, and after walking out of the café into the street they shook hands then parted ways.

Mustang checked his watch. Five minutes till 12:00. He would make his second class after all.

* * * * *

Riza lined up with the rest of her classmates at the back of the shooting range. Clear glasses were lying on the ledge where they would be shooting from, waiting for the cadets to put them on. Riza couldn’t wait to try her hand at the various revolvers and handguns on the walls. Firearms were her specialty. Beyond the ledge the rest of the range lay before the class, with grass stretching out fifty meters or so before meeting the base of the practice dummies they would be shooting at. According to the class rep, who had talked to the professor before class was to start, it was too nice to have class inside today. The class rep began to call roll again, and just like her last class Roy Mustang’s name was answered with silence.

“Roy Mustang?” the rep called out.

Silence. But right when she was about to call the next name, in strolled a tall man with messy black hair and a commanding air.

“Sorry I’m late,” he drawled.

The class rep huffed but marked him down as present. “Get in line Mustang.”

Roy smirked. “Yes, ma’am.” Then he made his way down the line, to where the fourth years were standing. To do so he had to pass Riza.

_Would he recognize her?_

As he passed her he slowed slightly, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye and then moved on without a word.

_Guess not._

When they were called to form pairs for practice, Riza prayed she would get someone good from the upper classes. Someone who knew what they were doing with a gun and who wouldn’t slow her down.

She was paired with Mustang.

Forcing a smile on her face she stuck out a hand and said, “Riza Hawkeye. We’ve met before.”

Mustang took her hand softly and smiled. “Roy Mustang. I remember.”

Riza nodded and then turned to point at the target. “How good are you with a gun?”

Roy sighed. “Not very, to tell the truth. I’m more interested in other…firepower.”

Riza frowned. “Surely, you don’t mean…”

“Yes, but I’ve had a hard time researching it while in the Academy. There’s simply not enough time.”

She thought of the years her father had devoted to perfecting his fire alchemy array, how it had driven him mad in the end, an obsession that had no end except in perfection. An obsession which had killed him. “Roy, please don’t continue to research it. It’ll only lead to grief.”

Mustang ignored her plea and directed her attention towards the target. “How good are you with a gun?”

She sighed, put on her soundproof headphones and the clear safety glasses, and then picked up the gun as a response. Mustang quickly put on his own headphones and glasses to watch as she fired off round after round of bullets at the target. All of them hit their marks dead-on.

“Not bad,” he said after they had taken off their headphones.

Riza nodded. “I’ve been practicing.” And she had. Every day. It came in handy for getting rid of people who came knocking on her door and threatened to kill her if she didn’t hand over her father’s research. At that thought she felt her back itch, and she scowled. She hadn’t told Roy about the array on her back yet. As her father’s only pupil she felt he should know, but her father had entrusted her with its care and secrecy, a secret to be kept from even Roy. She mentally shook herself. He was gone now and it was her choice who to show it to. _Could she trust Roy with it?_

Roy was studying her carefully and looked as if he wanted to ask her something but was holding himself back.

“What?”

“You grew out your hair.”

The comment was so random and so abrupt Riza laughed. “So?”

Roy put his hands in his pockets and muttered, “I didn’t think you would grow it out so long.”

Riza smiled at him, a genuinely warm smile. “I thought it would be a nice change.”

Mustang nodded his approval. “It’s beautiful.”

The compliment was unexpected and caused Riza to blush. She took a breath to calm her nerves and said, “Come on. Let’s see you try,” reloading and handing him the gun she held.

He took it in his hands and for a moment their fingers brushed lightly against each other. Mustang stared at the gun for a minute then looked at her, a nervous grin on his face. “Well,” he said, “let’s see how much of a disaster I am at this.”

* * * * *

A disaster. That’s what Roy’s present situation was: a disaster. He was paired with Riza Hawkeye who was the best shot he had ever seen and he hadn’t held a gun in a year. He had focused his attention on learning advanced alchemical equations and hadn’t put aside any time for shooting practice. It wasn’t that he couldn’t handle a gun nor that he wasn’t experienced in using one. He just didn’t like the weight and feel of one in his hands, so he had slacked off on practicing. And now he was paired with Riza Hawkeye. The only woman he didn’t want to make a fool of himself in front of, who was better than he ever would be with a gun.

When she handed him the gun and asked him to shoot he had no choice but to take the proffered weapon. “Well, let’s see how much of a disaster I am at this,” he said.

He fired off three rounds and Riza checked to see if they had hit their marks. Luckily they had, but they weren’t as precise as Riza’s had been.

Riza raised an eyebrow at him. “A disaster, huh?”

“It’s been awhile,” he said lazily, secretly thanking the higher powers that be, any and all gods if in existence, that he had managed to hit the marks. “I’ve been focusing on my alchemical studies recently.”

Riza winced at his words and he immediately felt bad. Of course she would be reminded of her father.

“How are your studies going?” she asked tentatively.

Roy shrugged. “They’re progressing. It’d be better if I could get my hands on some specific materials, but I don’t have access to them because my professors won’t give me the permission needed to see the Library’s military records.”

Riza nodded. “I see.” She took the gun back from Mustang and set it down on their section of the counter as the professor called out to say that class was dismissed. “Do you have class after this?”

“No,” Mustang replied. _Where is she going with this?_

She nodded. “I see. Do you want to catch up over lunch?”

Roy smiled at her. “Sure! Let’s go!”

* * * * *

Riza followed Mustang down the hallways to the Academy’s mess hall. She had asked Mustang if he wanted to eat lunch with her right as class had ended without really thinking it through and was now starting to get nervous. She wanted to hear about his life over the past two years, but didn’t know if he would want to talk about it with her. She knew he had been disappointed when her father refused to teach him any more alchemy after joining the military and that he had plans for changing the world in his own way, but perhaps that had changed. It had been two years after all.

When they got to the cafeteria Riza swore she could hear people muttering, “Not another one,” and “Damn, why is it always him?” and “Mustang….”

She looked suspiciously at Mustang but he pointedly avoided eye contact with her and muttered something about gossips and people having nothing better to do with their time.

Riza shook her head and took a better look at the mess hall. Long gray-white tables were set up in rows parallel to where they were standing and the kitchen was nestled away in the right corner. A man stood behind the kitchen’s counter, chopping meat, and as they approached he laid down his knife, wiped his hands on his apron, and asked, “Hey, Mustang. The usual?”

Roy nodded. “Of course.” Then pointing at Riza he said, “She’ll have the same as me.”

The man smirked. “Ah, of course. It’ll be about ten minutes.” Then he went back to preparing the meat he had been slicing and Mustang led Riza to a table to wait.

She didn’t say anything but quietly noted to herself that Roy’s attitude towards women hadn’t changed. _Inconsiderate in niceties as always, and now a huge flirt on top of that._

Once they had gotten their food and chosen another table (the one they had sat at earlier was now taken), she took a few bites of her lunch before putting down her fork. “So, Mustang. You’re a womanizer now, huh?”

Roy choked on the food in his mouth. Riza raised an eyebrow at him and handed him a cup of water. “Guess that answers my question then.”

“Wh-where did you hear that?” Mustang spluttered.

Riza rolled her eyes. “From the mess hall.”

Mustang frowned and muttered “Loose-lipped fools.” Then he smiled as winningly as he could and folded his hands on the table. “They say that those who talk are just jealous of the ones they badmouth.”

“Hmm.”

“Seriously! I can’t help it if girls swoon over me. I’m just that handsome.”

Riza couldn’t help but laugh. _Some things never change_. When she caught her breath and had wiped the tears from her eyes, she said, “Still as egotistical as ever.”

Roy was frowning, about to say something, when a man with spiky black hair and square glasses snuck up behind him. Riza blinked when the man held a finger to his lips and then grabbed Roy from behind.

_Who is this?_

* * * * *

Roy was just about to explain to Riza that he was not egotistical at all, when he felt the life being choked out of him.

“Surprise!” yelled out a voice and then the pressure was gone.

“Hughes,” Roy said, rubbing his neck. “What are you doing here?”

“I came by to say hello, give you some information, and update you on how my date with Gracia went.” He turned to Riza and held out a hand, “I’m Maes Hughes, Roy’s best friend.”

“You are not my best friend,” grumbled Mustang.

Hughes ignored Roy and spoke directly to Riza. “Don’t listen to him. I’m his only friend therefore I qualify as his bestest best friend. You must be Riza Hawkeye, daughter of the late Berthold Hawkeye. I’ve heard so much about you from Roy.”

“Maes!” Roy could feel himself burning up with embarrassment.

“What?” Hughes turned to him now. “It’s true.” Then he sat down at their table. “So tell me, Riza. Is it okay if I call you Riza?” She nodded but before she had finished doing so Hughes was off again, talking a mile a minute. “Great. What was Roy like when he was studying under your father? I take it he was just as full of confidence as he was then? Popular with the ladies? Did he cry at night? Tell me everything.”

Roy was mortified. “Hughes! Stop interrogating her; she just got here.”

Maes grinned at him. “Looks like someone’s afraid of what will come out about their past.”

“Hughes…”

“Alright, alright.” He paused then looked at Riza again, who was taking all of this in stride. “We’ll talk later okay?”

She grinned at him and Roy felt his world slowly going down the drain. _I’m going to regret this day for the rest of my life_.

* * * * *

“I liked him.”

“Who?”

“Your friend. Maes Hughes, he said his name was?”

Riza could have sworn she heard Roy mutter “great” under his breath. She couldn’t help but grin.

Roy ran a hand through his messy hair ( _again_ , Riza noted) and sighed. “He’s a good man, someone I can count on to get me through the days when I’m bored out of my mind by the endless theoretical lectures they put us through. He just…talks too much sometimes.”

“I would love to meet Gracia some day.” Riza said, hands clasped behind her back.

Roy smiled. “So would I. Anyone who can put up with Hughes’s habits and incessant chattering must be a saint.”

Riza laughed.

They were walking towards their next class, Practical Training. It was located behind the Academy in a large field, away from pretty much anything and everything that could be damaged. Riza knew this was due to the unfortunate tendency of alchemists to go overboard when they fought and there were still a few in the class that were on the less experienced side. She was looking forward to this class in particular because she had heard a rumor that they were allowed any weapons they wanted. She hadn’t had a chance at the gun range to test out the sniper rifle or double handguns she had seen on the shelf and they were practically calling out to her.

Roy was talking about some alchemical theory that she half understood and she tuned him out for a little, letting her thoughts drift. _Lunch was nice. But I still didn’t learn anything about the past two years._ Then she shook her head slightly. _You just got here, Riza. There will be plenty of time to ask him_.

Roy had stopped talking and was looking at her with concern. “You okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” she said. “A little nervous, but fine.”

He smiled at her and she felt herself melt a little. _Damn, he was charming_. “You’ll do fine. Those gun skills of yours will put anyone you face down in a heartbeat.”

She grinned. “Let’s hope we’re not paired then.”

* * * * *

They were paired. _Of course_ , thought Roy. _I can’t go easy on her. She won’t forgive me if I do. I’m not sure I can live either if I go easy on her. She knows my flame alchemy already; her father taught me. She knows its flaws. Damn. Why did I have to get Riza as my partner?_

He looked to their professor. He waved the flag down to signal the start of the match and then Roy had no more time to think. Riza was shooting at him. With a rifle.

_Maybe, I can win this one after all…_

* * * * *

“You got lucky.”

Roy grinned triumphantly. “Sure, I did.”

Riza glared at him. “Keep up the gloating, Mustang. We’ll see how you do when I switch to handguns.”

Was it just her or did he actually look concerned now? “We’ll see.”

She smiled at him, making sure to look predatory and insincere. “Oh, yes. We’ll see.”

But three weeks came and went before Riza managed to pull off a win against Mustang. He was too damn good. And, the professor had insisted she win with the rifle.

“I know you can handle the twin handguns, Riza. I need you to be able to handle the rifle too.”

She had reluctantly agreed and worked extra shifts in the Shooting Range to get in free practice. Finally, it had paid off. Riza had won. And now she was quite the expert at using a rifle. So much so that the professor had recommended she become a sniper. Riza had told him she would think about it.

Roy was sulking after the match and striding off to the library to do more research no doubt, when she caught up with him.

“And you thought I couldn’t do it.”

He frowned at her, annoyed. “I always knew you could do it, Riza. You’re the best shot I know. I just didn’t think you would bring me down this quickly. Now what am I supposed to do?”

She was surprised by this new information. “So you aren’t upset you lost to me then?”

Roy laughed bitterly. “Upset? Of course I’m upset. Who wouldn’t be? No one likes to lose.” He turned to look at her and came to a full stop. He sighed, started to say something, blushed, changed his mind, and then forced a smile. “Losing to you, though? Well, I knew it was only a matter of time.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

He laughed. “Come on, Riza. You know all the flaws to my flame alchemy. Your father taught me and you watched us all the time. You probably know my alchemy even better than I do. But even if you didn’t, you still would have beaten me at some point.”

Riza felt herself going cold at the mention of her father and his alchemy. She tried not to think about it and focused on Roy’s last claim. “What do you mean?”

He started walking again. “Not only are you the best shot I know of, you are the most stubborn and determined person I have ever met.”

She punched his shoulder. “Hey!”

“Ow! That was meant as a compliment!”

She rolled her eyes but still gave him a small smile. “Okay, sure.”

“It was! Come on Riza, it was! Don’t walk off on me! Riza…”

* * * * *

_Two months. Two months since he had last seen Riza, had last talked to her._ _Of course, he was now a graduate, an actual officer now, posted in the East temporarily, while they tried to transfer more soldiers. Riza still had school, was making rapid progress, and acing her classes. But still._ Two. Whole. Months.

“Why don’t you just ask her yourself?” Hughes asked from his end of the line back at Central Command Center. His current post was answering the phone lines and redirecting calls while his superiors tried to figure out what new task to give him since he had breezed through all his previous assignments. When Mustang had called to give a report Hughes had forwarded it to the general in question and then kept Roy on the line to talk.

“Because I asked you to find out. You’re the best officer in the Investigations Division that I know of. Besides, it would be awkward if I asked her now. Come on, Hughes. You owe me for last time, bailing you out with Gracia and giving you an alibi when you were late to dinner.”

“I hate it when you use her against me.” Roy heard a sigh on the other end of the line. “ _Fine_ , I’ll talk to Hawkeye for you since you aren’t man enough to.”

“Hughes…”

“And because I owe you. Calm down, Mustang. I know you are having the time of your life in Eastern Command shadowing all the hot-shot generals, making connections, learning the inner workings of the military, and providing the East with extra firepower.”

“I am not having the time…” he sighed. “You know what Hughes, I’ll just ask for a transfer back.”

Hughes made a tsk-ing noise on the other end of the line. “Roy, you should know better than that. You can’t afford it for your future career. Just wait it out until the end of the week.”

“Two weeks, Maes. Two. Weeks.”

“You really do miss her, don’t you?” Maes asked softly.

“Do I ever question you missing Gracia?”

“No, but then Gracia and I are together.” Maes paused dramatically. “Unlike you and Hawkeye.”

Roy hung up the phone on Hughes. He would get grief about it later.

_Two months. Two weeks. Too long._

Riza had started hanging out with him and Maes more often and, prior to his assignment, she had had several dinners with Roy. Things had been progressing smoothly. He had started to learn about her reasons for coming to the Academy and he had almost gotten around to telling her his goals for the future. Right when he was on the brink of asking her out in walked the Academy’s Headmaster with his assignment.

He had had no choice but to go. Riza had congratulated him heartily, Maes had literally slapped him on the back and whispered, “One more step towards Fuhrer, Roy,” and Gracia, who Roy had finally met, had hosted a celebratory dinner at her house.

Roy smiled thinking about Gracia. She really was quite special. Then he shuddered. _Not that I’ll ever let Hughes know. He’d either talk my ear off or kill me._

* * * * *

_Two months, two weeks, and five days_. That was how long it had been since Riza had last seen Roy. He didn’t call. He didn’t even bother to write, even though she knew he managed to call Hughes every other week.

_When he gets back…_

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her apartment’s door. She frowned. _Who could that be?_

Opening the door, she found herself staring down a huge bouquet of flowers.

“Miss Riza Hawkeye?” asked the delivery boy.

“Yes?”

“This here’s from one….Mr. Roy….Roy….”

“Mustang?”

The delivery boy’s face popped through the flowers, grinning. “Yep, that’s him. There’s a note attached here somewhere. I don’t know exactly where, but he said to make sure you read no matter what. Oh and here,” he handed her a receipt, “I need you to sign a copy of that so I can tell the store it was delivered.”

Riza signed the receipt and took the flowers from the boy, who must have been only eight or nine. “Thank you,” she said as she shut the door. Then she walked to the kitchen, grabbed a vase, filled it with water, and put half the flowers in. It really was a huge bouquet. The other half she put in a different vase and taking the two vases in each hand she put one on the dining room table and another on top of her dresser in her bedroom. It added color to the relatively modest furnishings in her room, standing out against the cream of the wallpaper and the chestnut of her dresser.

She found the card tucked in the half she had put on the dining room table. It read:

                        _To Riza,_

_I am so sorry I haven’t written or called or contacted you in some way. I’ve been busy following the hot-shot generals around everywhere. I hope you are well and classes are going smoothly._

_-Roy_

_(via Hughes- sorry, Riza. Roy’s too busy to be a man and write.)_

Riza smiled at the note. She knew Hughes meant well, trying to cheer her up. She had been spending more and more time with him and Gracia while Mustang was away and he was probably getting sick of her presence.

_Two months, two weeks, and five days. He’s supposed to return today. If he doesn’t come visit in a week, Lord help me, he’s going to be part of my target practice._

Just then came another knock on the door.

_I wonder who it is now._

When she opened the door she saw Roy. Holding a single, white rose and pacing on her doorstep.

She raised an eyebrow at him. “What’s this?”

“Riza, I…”

“You’re late.”

“Yes, the train was delayed….”

“Two months, two weeks, and five days late, Roy.”

“Ah. Yes. You see, I had meant to call you….”

Riza let him talk. She took his rose. She accepted his half-apology, which wasn’t really an apology. She almost forgave him. But she didn’t let him in.

“How did you even find this place?”

Roy’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You have to ask?”

Riza sighed. “Hughes.”

“Yes, he thought you might appreciate it more if I showed up tonight rather than just showing up tomorrow in class and saying hi.”

Riza wished she had her handgun. Cocking it always got a man’s attention and let them know she wasn’t impressed or happy. Instead she had to settle for, “Did he now? I’ll talk to him in the morning. Good night, Roy,” and slammed the door in his face.

* * * * *

Roy wanted to hit himself. It had been three weeks since he had returned to Central and gone to see Riza at her house. He didn’t know what he had said which had made the whole conversation gone downhill but she _still_ wasn’t talking to him. Not really, anyways. She was polite in class and in the halls, but she had shut him out. She never started conversations with him anymore, she never talked about her life outside of class, and she never wanted to get lunch together unless Maes was tagging along.

“What do I do, Maes?”

Hughes looked at his friend and sighed. “Have you tried apologizing?”

“For what?”

“For not writing or calling while you were in the East.”

“I explained to her why I couldn’t do either!”

“But you didn’t apologize.”

“I…No.”

Hughes shook his head. “For all your womanizing, Roy, you really know nothing about women do you?” He took Mustang by the shoulders and said, “Let me explain a few things to you, my friend. The problem isn’t that you didn’t have a _reason_ for not writing or calling. The problem is you didn’t _apologize_ for not staying in contact. For all Riza knew, you could have gotten into a riot and been killed.”

“But she knew that wasn’t the case! She would have heard if there was a death. The Academy posts deaths on the Central Bulletin and everyone attends the funeral.”

“That’s not the point, Roy. You contacted me but you didn’t contact her. At all. No wonder she’s pissed.” Hughes took his arm off his friend’s shoulders and looked at him pityingly.

Roy sighed and put his hands on his hips as he began to pace. He knew Maes was right even if he was being annoying about it. He stopped pacing, dropped his hands to his sides, and turned to face Hughes. “What do you suggest I do?”

“Apologize. Take her out to dinner- or a coffee if she looks really angry- and say you’re sorry. Maybe she’ll forgive you then.”

Roy nodded. “Dinner. Coffee. Apology. Got it. Thanks, Maes.”

Hughes laughed at him. “Never thought I would hear you thanking me for _this_.”

“Oh, shut up. Riza’s different. I have no problem picking up women. They flock to me naturally. She puts up a fight.”

Hughes just leaned further back in his seat grinning and shaking his head. “Sure, sure.”

Roy rolled his eyes and smirked. “I bet you I could charm Gracia if you gave me the chance. That would prove my point.”         

Hughes stopped laughing and leaned forward in his seat. His eyes were flint, hard and unforgiving. “Remember, Roy, behind every great commander is an information network.” _If you want to rise to the top, back off._

Roy laughed and stood. “I said _if_ you gave me the chance, Hughes. _If_.” As he walked towards the door, he waved over his shoulder to Maes and said, “See you around, Hughes. I have a woman to apologize to.”

* * * * *

Riza hadn’t expected it to take him this long to apologize but here Roy was, three weeks in and he still hadn’t apologized. She wasn’t sure if he would manage it this time either, but at least he was attempting to ask her forgiveness. At least that’s where she thought this was going.

“So, Riza. How do you feel about di- coffee?” Roy asked her as they were switching classes, keeping pace with Riza as she rushed to get down the hallway.

She raised an eyebrow and stopped for a moment. “Either would be fine.”

“What?” Roy passed her, not realizing she had stopped walking, but luckily hadn’t gone too far forward.

Riza walked up to him and said, “Dinner or coffee would be fine. As long as it’s before seven.”

Roy blinked at her for a second, then recovered. “I’ll pick you up at six then, for dinner.”

Riza smiled at him for the first time in months. “Great. I’ll see you then.” Then she walked off to her next class, Military History, leaving Roy still standing dazed in the middle of the hallway.

At dinner, Roy finally apologized for not writing or calling.

“I was busy and I realize that’s not the best excuse, considering I contacted Hughes while I was there, but he’s in the Information Section and was handling calls every time I had to make a report to Central. Anyways, I’m sorry Riza.”

She sipped some water from her glass then looked at Roy. “Apology accepted.” They ate in silence until Riza couldn’t take it any more and she finally asked, “What took you so long?”

Roy looked down at his plate and shifted in his seat. Riza sighed. _Men_. “Never mind. Tell me how the East was. Did you learn a lot from the generals?”

Roy brightened up immediately and started telling her all about the East, how he had been stuck writing up reports, which he hated, and had gotten hands on experience in dealing with tense situations, which he loved. Riza felt herself relaxing back into the comfortable lull of conversation she had missed when Roy was gone.

At the end of the dinner, as Roy was walking her to the door she asked, “Do you have any further plans for the evening?”

Roy shook his head. “No.”

Riza nodded, thought it over and then said, “Follow me, then. I have something I want to tell you.”

They headed out of the restaurant back to her apartment, not talking much, just enjoying the night.        

_Was she making the right decision? Should she tell him?_ Riza wondered, then shook herself mentally. _Roy’s trustworthy. He is. He deserves to know._

Too late now to doubt; they were almost at her apartment.

* * * * *

Roy followed Riza to her apartment. They were about fifteen minutes away from the restaurant now and the silence between the two continued to grow.

A few times he tried to make conversation with Hawkeye, but always got one-word responses. Eventually he gave up. _Something’s on her mind. I’ll ask when we arrive._

They passed several houses and brightly lit shops before they finally turned down the street that would lead them to Hawkeye’s home. When they finally got into her apartment, he asked, “Now what is all this about?”

Riza sighed. “You are so impatient.”

“You hardly spoke to me for fifteen minutes on the way over here!”

Hawkeye put down her bag at the kitchen table, and took off her blazer. “That doesn’t make you any less impatient.” Then walking over to the stove to put the kettle on for hot water, she asked, “Tea?”

Roy took a seat at the table. “No, thanks. I prefer coffee. Besides, I don’t need anything after all that food.”

Riza ‘hmmed’, made herself some tea, and then sat down across from Roy. Without warning she said, “My father completed his research before he died.”

“What?” _That was not what I was expecting her to say…_ “But he said he hadn’t…”

“He entrusted it to me. To give it to people worthy of it, to someone I trust.”

Roy looked at her and silently contemplated the implications. “So you trust me?”

Riza simply nodded and sipped her tea.

“But?”

“What would you do with it if I gave it to you?”

“Become Fuhrer and change the world,” he said without hesitation.

Riza blinked in surprise, then slowly nodded. “I believe you.” Then she put down her teacup and started to lift her black turtleneck up.

“What are you doing?!” he asked. “Not that I’m not interested… but, what are you doing?”

Riza rolled her eyes at him before turning around in her chair and twisting her back so that he could see it. “Showing you my father’s research, you playboy.”

Across her back an array was tattooed in black ink. Roy found himself getting out of his chair to get a closer look. He studied Riza’s back as if he would a page, running his fingers over the lines in the array, memorizing it inch by inch, tracing over the design multiple times as if he were drawing it on paper. And if he had had paper he would have copied the design out several times, double-checking the lines and curves to make absolutely sure he had it perfect, but they had no paper, so he made do with running his fingers across the array until the design of it was burned in his memory. He tuned out the world, focusing all his attention on the array, and it was only after he had reached the last curve that he realized Riza was shivering. He dropped his hands immediately. “Sorry.” _How long was I standing there for?_

She tugged her shirt back down. “Don’t be. How else were you supposed to memorize it? You used to do the same thing with all my father’s old notes.”

He smiled at the memory. “I was thinking the same thing.”

She twisted back around to look up at him. “If you’ve memorized it…”

“I have.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “Let me finish. Now that you’ve memorized it, would you burn it off?”

Roy thought of scorching and scarring her delicate flesh and froze in horror. “Why?”

“I don’t want to be burdened with it anymore. Not when my father’s research will live on in you.”

He thought it over. _If it would make her free_ … Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. “Alright. I’ll do it. On one condition.”

“What?”

“Come work for me when I get promoted?”

Riza smiled back at him. “Of course, Roy.”

 

_Two hours later_

Roy ran a hand over Riza’s back again as they lay in bed, curled up, comforting each other.

“You’re sure you don’t want to be my girlfriend?”

Riza rolled away from him slightly. “Superiors and their subordinates are not supposed to have relationships, sir.”

Mustang frowned. “But the past few…”

“Doesn’t count.”

“But…”

“You aren’t my superior yet.”

Roy frowned. _Yet._ “So you’re saying that if we aren’t superior and subordinate…?”

“We could be together? Yes.” Riza sat up and looked at him, a cheeky grin on her face. “But you were the one who asked me to come work for you when you were promoted.” Her smile faded slightly, and she continued. “After all, you’re going to need someone who is a damn good shot if you are aiming for Fuhrer, someone who has your back.”

He sighed. “Yes, I did ask you to come work for me, didn’t I? Mind if we change that?”

“Not possible, sir.” Riza quickly added, “I won’t be happy if you force me to play housewife, Roy,” in response to his annoyed glare.

He sighed and nodded. “Fair enough. But as soon as I become Fuhrer, I’m changing the rule that says superiors can’t be with subordinates.”

“Along with many others.”

“Yes, along with many others.” _Including the one about uniforms. Riza in a mini-skirt… Mmm. I can’t wait to be Fuhrer._

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing/posting any fan fiction, so I'd love to know what you guys thought! Thanks for reading!


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